This invention relates in general to insect or pest control devices. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for attracting and trapping insects or other pests on an adhesive surface.
Various means have been used to control and destroy detrimental insects, worms, and the like. Such known methods have utilized various means, among them solid, vapor, and liquid toxicants, attractant substances, traps and the like to lure and/or kill the pests. These prior art pest control methods have been found to be deficient in achieving an optimum level of efficiency. For example, the mere spraying of an insecticide in the general area in which insects are to be controlled results in the use of large amounts of toxic substances to kill insects with only a random chance of contact. Not only is such a technique obviously wasteful, but also presents safety and environmental hazards to humans and animal life.
Known insect control devices for attracting and trapping insects with an adhesive depend primarily on contact with the insect's tarsus (feet) to effect immobility. This provides a very small area of contact between the insect and adhesive, and larger or stronger insects can simply walk through the adhesive. This problem is intensified in lower or higher than normal temperatures, or in dusty atmospheres, which cause adhesives to lose their optimum tack and strength. Currently, the only method of combatting the escape of insects from an adhesive trap is to provide a much larger area of adhesive than needed in an effort to exhaust the pests before they can crawl through the adhesive. Because of this, current adhesive traps have limited overall effectiveness and their structures are unnecessarily large, unhandy and expensive.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an adhesive pest trap with improved ability to immobilize both large and small pests.
A further object of this invention is to provide an adhesive pest trap with improved effectiveness under adverse conditions such as temperature extremes or dusty atmospheres.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an effective adhesive pest trap of minimum size and cost.
A still further object of this invention is to provide an adhesive pest trap that can be securely attached in an unobtrusive manner within the dwelling or area of its use.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an adhesive pest trap which attracts insects in the area of use to enter and become caught in the trap.